For many years various governmental agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have been actively promulgating regulations designed to create a healthier, safer environment for the industrial worker. In particular, regulations have focused upon the methods and equipment used in the loading and servicing of mobile equipment such as tank trucks and railroad tank and hopper cars. Various attempts have been made to conform with the requirements of these regulations. A safety platform for access to the top of mobile equipment is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,328, filed Mar. 14, 1985. The platform is not necessarily compatible with existing stationary platforms since both the railing and platform move vertically. Many loading platforms exist which may include safety railings but which require a worker to step from the platform onto the top of a truck, tank car or hopper car. The existence of such platforms which are usually stationary has tended to discourage the use of the invention disclosed in such prior patent in that the platform would require replacement or significant modification. Accordingly there is a need for a railing system which can be used with existing loading platforms. The present invention, in an attempt to conform with the requirements of OSHA regulations while taking advantage of existing platforms, provides an improved safety railing system for accessing the tops of various types of mobile equipment utilizing existing platforms.